Cloud watching
by Darcie rae
Summary: When Ino is upset, Shikamaru makes her watch the clouds after hearing her mumble to herself. But when the clouds disappear... MAJOR SPOILER ALERT! If you have NOT seen/read past the chunnin exams, then you might not want to read, contains spoiler.
1. Chapter 1

'My world is crashing down around me, falling into pieces and disintegrating. I don't know what to do. He's gone, after Orochimaru, betraying me. He isn't evil is he? He can't be! But how can he leave just like that? After all those attempts to win his love, he didn''t fall for one?' Ino thought to herself, walking up the grassy hill towards the training ground, to hopefully forget about Sasuke.

"Maybe I'm not beautiful enough." She thought aloud.

"What are you rambling about now? So troublesome..." She heard a rough voice say, coming from somewhere in the tall grass beside her. She looking over to see her comrade, Shikamaru, laying in the grass with his hands behind his head, staring up at the sky.

Putting her hands on her hips, she belted out the normal complaint.

"Why are you so lazy? You never train or do anything except complain, unlike Sasuke..." She sighed, bringing her hands to her heart with a dreamy look on her face.

"Your still going on about him? He left t--" He started lazily, only to be cut off.

"Why you little! Mind your own business!" She stated, shaking her fist at him.

"So troublesome..." He sighed. "If your just going to babble on, please, leave me in peace." He said plainly. 'Geez, can I never have alone time? So troublesome...' He thought to himself.

"What are you doing anyway?" She asked, not sounding to interested.

"Staring at the clouds." "Hm, well it's a waste of time," She stated, her arms folded across her chest.

"Have you ever tried it?" He replied, referring to the said hobby of his.

"No, I have better things to do."

"Then how do you know if it's a waste of time?" He said, looking in her direction. 'Woman... She's worse then temari'

"Ugh, your so irritating!" She complained.

"Sit."

"Wha?" She replied, taken aback.

"Sit down. Try looking at the clouds." He stated again. 'Goodness, the people I have to put up with.' He thought to himself. She sat down next to him, wrapping her arms around her drawn in knees.

"I didn't say here," He complained, sitting up straight.

"Humph." She laid back on the grass with her arms still crossed. 'Did she just huff at me? Grr, can she not leave me alone? What a drag...' He laid back on the grass again, putting his hands behind his head, meanwhile trying his best to ignore her, hoping she wouldn't decide to speak. But once again, the universe decided to go against him.

"Why did he leave? Why didn't you convince him to come back?" She said quietly, her voice quivering as she held back a sob.

"We tried, Ino, But he refused and almost killed Naruto, you know that." He stated, not seeing a reason to tell her why he left, she already knew. She sniffed and stayed quiet for awhile. It scared him. She was never quiet.

"Are you awake?" He said, scared that her own emotions killed her. 'That's nonsense Shikamaru, that can't happen!' He thought to himself, but wasn't entirely convinced.

"What kind of a question is that?" He heard her shaky voice say. Relieved, he answered her in his normal, lazy voice.

"You were quiet. You're never quiet." He answered.

"Oh."

They sat there, staring at the clouds for a long while, just thinking. The clouds started turning pink and purple as the day was slowly coming to an end. Shikamaru started to get up when he heard her voice.

"Where are you going?"

"The clouds are going away, soon they'll be gone." He stated, thinking that it was obvious.

"Sit." She commanded.

"Wha-"

"Have you never watched the stars before?" She asked.

"Uh, no. It's a waste of time. I'm usually sleeping when the stars are out."

"Then how do you know if it's a waste of time?" She stated, using my own words against me. "And you're alway's asleep." She added. 'What a drag'

"Fine." He mumbled, laying back down. The clouds dispersed, and the stars soon became visable as the last light of day faded. "Thank you." She mumbled, looking over at him. Shocked, he replied.

"For what?"

"Making me watch the clouds." She stated with a small smile. "I'll admit, I'm a little self absorbed, and spend a lot of time on my looks, and even with all that effort, Sasuke didn't even glance at me. And now he's gone and my chance is ruined." He was shocked.

To shocked for words as he looked over at her. She was still looking up at the sky, her blue eyes sparkling in the moonlight. She still had that smile plastered on her face, as she closed her eyes and took in a deep breath, letting it out slowly, as if it was her last.

"Watching the clouds made me think. Although they are white, majestic, and beautiful, they don't last. They disappear, never returning. I now know Sasuke won't return, and that my pathetic tries to get him to notice me were a wasted effort, like trying to get a cloud to stay still. Sasuke, like a cloud, is only capable of one thing. A cloud is only capable of following the wind, and Sasuke is only capable of revenge." Her words shocked him.

All he could do is lay there, close his eyes, and think. 'Woah... I never expected that. Of all people, Ino would say that.' He relaxed after a while and closed his eyes. Something moved next to him, but he stayed still.

His mind was still mush from what she had said and couldn't register what was happening until it did. He felt a small hand lay lightly on his shoulder.

She kissed him.

He couldn't believe it. It only lasted a couple of seconds, but it felt like minutes. Or had it been minutes? 'Open your eyes Shikamaru!' He thought to himself. He did. She was still lying next to him, and it appeared she hadn't moved. 'Did i just imagine it?' He wondered.

"No, it was real." She said, as if reading his mind. His jaw dropped, and she looked over to him and smiled.

"Goodnight." She said, getting up and leaving. He stayed, as if paralyzed. 'hm. Maybe watching the stars isn't so bad after all...' He thought to himself, falling alseep with a smile on his face.


	2. Chapter 2

Hey, sorry this isn't another chapter. This story i wrote is a one-shot i wrote a couple months ago, but i wanted to re-format it. I'd love reviews! Reviews are great! Please review! And feed back is much appreciated!

Thank you!

~Darcie


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